kept her hand on Bev’s shoulder. Exerting just enough pressure to let Bev know she was cared for. Cared about.
“Take your time. Feel whatever you need to feel. Eventually, you’ll sense that Greg’s on board. That he approves and wants you to be happy because that’s what people who love unconditionally do.”
The outer edges of Beverly’s lips tugged wider, as if manipulated by a puppeteer. “You’re scary, Dr. Blades.”
Grace had heard that so many times. “Me?” she said, innocently.
“Scary-smart is what I mean. It’s like you have a direct view into here.” Patting her breast.
“Thanks for the compliment, Bev, but smart has nothing to do with it. Whatever I know comes from working at understanding people.” Grace leaned forward. “Because once we get past the nonsense, we’re all the same. Yet unique at the same time. No one has lived your life or thought your thoughts or felt your feelings. Even so, if I was in your situation, I’m pretty sure I’d feel exactly the same way.”
“You would?” Amazed.
The honest answer: W
ho knows?
Grace said, “Of course.”
“So what would you do about it?”
Grace smiled. “I’d go talk to someone scary-smart. Because we all need help from time to time.”
Flashing to Malcolm. Sophie. The new experience of sleeping in a clean, sweet-smelling bed. Breakfast. Dinner. Tentative attempts to hug, however briefly.
Human touch Grace had to train herself to tolerate. Thinking about all that brought a smile to her lips, which was perfect, the moment called for a smile, let Bev think it was all about her.
Sighing, Bev hugged herself. “I appreciate what you’re saying, Dr. Blades, but once I get back home…it might be difficult.”
“It might be. But you’ll handle it. You always do.”
Bev pinged her lower lip with a finger. The finger that bore her diamond-chip ring. Brian, a plumber’s assistant, splurging at Zales. “You’re saying sometimes life needs to be difficult to be meaningful.”
“I’m saying when we’re well put together emotionally, Bev—as you are—we learn to trust ourselves.”
Oh, do we…
Bev took a long time before she spoke next. “I guess I need to just roll with it.”
Grace said nothing.
Bev said, “Okay, I need to roll with it even if that means thinking about Greg.”
“Don’t fight thinking about Greg. Greg was precious to you,” said Grace. “Why would you exile him from your consciousness?”
Bev thought some more, face tightening as if struggling with a weighty puzzle. “On the flight from Portland, Dr. Blades, I spent most of the time remembering. One memory really stuck with me. Like it was glued to my brain. There was a lake. We used to take a canoe and Greg would row me. He was so strong. Muscles on muscles. Each time he moved the oar, they rippled. The sun made them glisten. Sometimes we’d start out on a sunny day and it would rain and he’d be dripping with sweat and rain and just
shine.
”
She inhaled. “I’d sit in the canoe and watch him and…I’d
want
him. Right then and there. In the boat.” She blushed. “We never did anything like that. I never told him.”
Grace smiled. “You didn’t want to rock the boat. Literally and figuratively. Balance is important to you and right now you’re feeling off balance because life has taken a new turn.”
Bev gawked. Smiled. “You’re more than scary, Dr. Blades. I bless the God that brought me to you.”
—
The rest of the day rolled on with reassuring predictability. Grace knew that objectively she was young but sometimes felt as if she’d seen everything. That didn’t sour her on her job, nor did it bore her. On the contrary, she found it reassuring and invigorating.
This is what I’ve been created for.
Nevertheless, she needed to make sure confidence never slid into smugness. Nor would she ever allow the Haunted to enter a millimeter of her private world.
Friendly, yes. Friend, never.
Because friendship was a
“Take your time. Feel whatever you need to feel. Eventually, you’ll sense that Greg’s on board. That he approves and wants you to be happy because that’s what people who love unconditionally do.”
The outer edges of Beverly’s lips tugged wider, as if manipulated by a puppeteer. “You’re scary, Dr. Blades.”
Grace had heard that so many times. “Me?” she said, innocently.
“Scary-smart is what I mean. It’s like you have a direct view into here.” Patting her breast.
“Thanks for the compliment, Bev, but smart has nothing to do with it. Whatever I know comes from working at understanding people.” Grace leaned forward. “Because once we get past the nonsense, we’re all the same. Yet unique at the same time. No one has lived your life or thought your thoughts or felt your feelings. Even so, if I was in your situation, I’m pretty sure I’d feel exactly the same way.”
“You would?” Amazed.
The honest answer: W
ho knows?
Grace said, “Of course.”
“So what would you do about it?”
Grace smiled. “I’d go talk to someone scary-smart. Because we all need help from time to time.”
Flashing to Malcolm. Sophie. The new experience of sleeping in a clean, sweet-smelling bed. Breakfast. Dinner. Tentative attempts to hug, however briefly.
Human touch Grace had to train herself to tolerate. Thinking about all that brought a smile to her lips, which was perfect, the moment called for a smile, let Bev think it was all about her.
Sighing, Bev hugged herself. “I appreciate what you’re saying, Dr. Blades, but once I get back home…it might be difficult.”
“It might be. But you’ll handle it. You always do.”
Bev pinged her lower lip with a finger. The finger that bore her diamond-chip ring. Brian, a plumber’s assistant, splurging at Zales. “You’re saying sometimes life needs to be difficult to be meaningful.”
“I’m saying when we’re well put together emotionally, Bev—as you are—we learn to trust ourselves.”
Oh, do we…
Bev took a long time before she spoke next. “I guess I need to just roll with it.”
Grace said nothing.
Bev said, “Okay, I need to roll with it even if that means thinking about Greg.”
“Don’t fight thinking about Greg. Greg was precious to you,” said Grace. “Why would you exile him from your consciousness?”
Bev thought some more, face tightening as if struggling with a weighty puzzle. “On the flight from Portland, Dr. Blades, I spent most of the time remembering. One memory really stuck with me. Like it was glued to my brain. There was a lake. We used to take a canoe and Greg would row me. He was so strong. Muscles on muscles. Each time he moved the oar, they rippled. The sun made them glisten. Sometimes we’d start out on a sunny day and it would rain and he’d be dripping with sweat and rain and just
shine.
”
She inhaled. “I’d sit in the canoe and watch him and…I’d
want
him. Right then and there. In the boat.” She blushed. “We never did anything like that. I never told him.”
Grace smiled. “You didn’t want to rock the boat. Literally and figuratively. Balance is important to you and right now you’re feeling off balance because life has taken a new turn.”
Bev gawked. Smiled. “You’re more than scary, Dr. Blades. I bless the God that brought me to you.”
—
The rest of the day rolled on with reassuring predictability. Grace knew that objectively she was young but sometimes felt as if she’d seen everything. That didn’t sour her on her job, nor did it bore her. On the contrary, she found it reassuring and invigorating.
This is what I’ve been created for.
Nevertheless, she needed to make sure confidence never slid into smugness. Nor would she ever allow the Haunted to enter a millimeter of her private world.
Friendly, yes. Friend, never.
Because friendship was a
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